seasons of extraordinary
by ilni123
Summary: "Sharkkit, from this moment on you will be known as Sharkpaw. Your mentor will be Ivypool." Bramblestar turned to her. "I hope you pass on your courage and energy to this young apprentice."
1. The legacy

"I'm going to get you!" Yowled Petalkit, flinging herself at her brother, Sharkkit.

"You can't 'get' what you can't see!" Growled the little kit before turning and ducking out of Thunderclan's nursery. Wolfkit quickly dashed after his littermates, hoping they would not get them into trouble, AGAIN.

As Wolfkit passed through the clearing, he saw Cherrypelt lying on a rock, belly round and plump, enjoying the warm rays of the sun. Her long, ginger fur sparkled in the sunlight. Her mate, Foxleap, padded up to her with a fresh squirrel in his mouth. _Only a matter of time before she kits_, Wolfkit thought. The sound of his siblings shook him from his thoughts.

"Guys, stop before Bramblestar sees you!" He hissed. A snort of amusement caused him to look up to the highrock.

"I've been watching them from the minute they left the Nursery." He said stepping down from his ledge. Wolfkit could see the air of melancholy that surrounded him. He and his siblings were his and Squirrelflight's last litter, before she joined Starclan.

His siblings immediately stopped their play fighting, and ran up to their father.

"Bramblestar, do you have any prey for us?" Asked Sharkkit.

"Is prey all you think about, mousebrain?" Petalkit teased.

"No!" protested Sharkkit, "I think about plenty of things, like….. What's going to be my warrior name, and will I become the next leader…." Wolfkit and Petalkit exchanged a glance.

"Wow. You've got a lot going on up there." Bramblestar mewed. Petalkit snickered.

Sharkkit proudly lifted his head, and puffed out his chest.

"Why thank you Bramblestar." He meowed. Petalkit then burst out laughing, followed shortly by Wolfkit.

All of a sudden, there was a caterwaul of noise, coming from Cherrypelt. Every cat within the camp rushed towards her.

"Make way!" Shouted Jayfeather, the clan medicine cat, while rushing towards the struggling she-cat, "Cherrypelt, please, to the Nursery." Cats turned their heads quickly towards him, shocked at his gentleness. Jayfeather scowled.

Cherrypelt slowly and carefully walked towards the den, Foxleap by her side.

"Will she be alright?" asked an anxious Dovewing. Bumblestripe, her mate, bent down and licked her head reassuringly. "Of course, she will be. Your kitting wasn't so hard, now was it?" He asked. Dovewing spun around.

"It was VERY hard!"

"But wasn't it worth it?"

"Every second." She meowed, glancing lovingly at her kits, Tigerpaw, and Flowerpaw, her fur lying back down smoothly.

Sharkkit stuck out his tongue, and pretended to throw up. Bramblestar cuffed his ear. "Wait until you have kits." He snorted.

A terrible yowl sounded from the Nursery. Jayfeather rushed out. "Flowerpaw, go with (he looked around, an image flash in his head and a sweet voice whispered to him) Sharkkit, and find a tough stick."

"Why?" Sharkkit asked.

"So she can bite down on it." He replied

"No I mean why me?"

"Just go!" he hissed.

Sharkkit and Flowerpaw ran out of the clearing, side by side.

Wolfkit turned back to Bramblestar. "Yeah, why him?" he asked. Bramblestar began to lie down. "Must have a reason, right?" Bramblestar shrugged. Wolfkit saw that even when his father was lying down, he was a lot bigger than him. Wolfkit then tucked in beside him. Petalkit turned to them with a puzzled look on her face.

"Why are you lying down? Shouldn't we go help?" she asked.

Bramblestar shook his head. "Jayfeather will take care of everything, plus we can't really help, we can only look." He gazed into space, lost in memories.

A couple of heartbeats later, Sharkkit and Flowerpaw came bounding, carrying a big stick between them. They handed it to Jayfeather. He gasped. "Where did you find this?" he asked.

"By the lake, why?" asked Sharkkit. Jayfeather shook his head and ran towards the Nursery, stick in his mouth.

No.

_The_ stick in his mouth.

"Sharkkit, from this moment on you will be known as Sharkpaw. Your mentor will be Ivypool." Bramblestar turned to her. "I hope you pass on your courage and energy to this young apprentice."

"Petalkit, from this moment on you will be known as Petalpaw. Your mentor will be Tigerpelt. I hope you pass on your speed and bravery onto this apprentice." Tigerpelt nodded, honored.

"Wolfkit, from this moment on you will be known as Wolfpaw. Your mentor will be Lionblaze." Wolfpaw's eyes widened." I hope you pass on your strength and loyalty onto this apprentice."

The 3 new apprentices touched noses with their new mentors.

"Sharkpaw! Petalpaw! Wolfpaw! Sharkpaw! Petalpaw! Wolfpaw!" The clan chanted.

Petalpaw purred. "I feel so loved!"

"Duh, it's custom." Sharkpaw meowed.

Bramblestar padded up to them. So are you ready to explore the territory?"

"YES!" They chorused.

"Then its time." He nodded towards their mentors.

"Do you like what you see?" asked Tigerpelt.

"Like it!?" meowed Petalpaw, "I LOVE it!"

"I felt the same way." Tigerpelt replied.

"Ok, tell me, Sharkpaw, what do you smell?" Asked his mentor, Ivypool.

"Prey!" He mewed happily.

"What else?" She sighed.

He stuck his nose in the air.

"Hmmmm, I don't know what it is, but it smells like fish…"

The senior warriors exchanged glances. Lionblaze sniffed the air.

"He's right. What does Riverclan want now?" He growled.

"Hey, umm, guys-" Wolfpaw started.

"Don't worry; Bramblestar is on good terms with Mistystar." Ivypool reassured.

"No-"Wolfpaw was again interrupted.

"Sadly Mistystar joined our ancestors." A sad voice mewed.

The group spun around. Out of the bushes came three cats.

"Reedwhisker, Rushtail, and…?" meowed Lionblaze.

"Rainpaw." Reedwhisker finished, "And, well, I am being promoted to leader."

Rainpaw walked over to Petalpaw while the warriors gathered in a tight circle.

"What is your name?" He asked politely.

"M-me? You want to know my name?" Petalpaw stammered. Rainpaw chuckled.

"Yes, yours."

"It's, uhh, it is…. My name is-"She stammered, her eyes boring into his.

"Petalpaw. Your name is Petalpaw." Sharkpaw finished, "And I'm Sharkpaw."

"Nice name, Petalpaw." Rainpaw went on.

"Thanks." Blushing, Petalpaw looked at her paws.

Smiling, Rainpaw swept his tail across her back, sending shivers up Petalpaw's spine.

She purred.

Wolfpaw looked on with horror.

_No. Are my eyes fooling me or…..I have to stop this….._

Wolfpaw stepped in between Rainpaw and Petalpaw.

"Hi, I'm Wolfpaw. So who is your mentor?" He asked, all the while leading Rainpaw away with his tail.

"It's, uhh, Rushtail…" Rainpaw kept glancing at Petalpaw, who was staring back at him, a slight frown on her face.

"Come on, Rainpaw; let's go still temperamental Shadowclan to visit." Meowed Reedwhisker.

Rainpaw quickly brushed past Wolfpaw and whispered in Petalpaw's ear, "I will be waiting for you at the gathering by the great tree." Leaving Petalpaw blushing and anxiously awaiting their next meeting that night.

As the group of warriors and their apprentices padded to camp, Wolfpaw glanced behind him to see Petalpaw trailing behind. Wolfpaw slowed his pace so the two could talk.

"You know that it's against the warrior code to have a mate from the different clans. You know that right?" He asked gently. Petalpaw's turned on him, her fur on end.

"Of course I know that! Why do you ask!? Do you think I will betray Thunderclan or something!? I would never do anything to harm any other cat!" She spat. Wolfpaw started at the waves of anger coming from her.

"I know; I just wanted to remind you."

"I'm not a kit! Can you leave me alone?" And with that she stalked away, leaving Wolfpaw feeling a variety of things; but mostly anger towards the tom that started this.

Once back at the camp, Wolfpaw immediately went to the Nursery to check up on Cherrypelt's kits, Stonekit and Rosekit. He stuck his head into the Nursery.

"Cherrypelt?" Suddenly he saw two bright eyes pop open. Stonekit and Rosekit stumbled to a stop in front of him.

"Wolfpaw! You're here. The kits have been waiting for you since before your apprentice ceremony." Said Cherrypelt.

"Do you mind if I take them outside to 'explore'?"

"Of course! Go ahead. Just be back soon, they have not eaten since sunhigh."

"Come on kits. Let's go." Wolfpaw purred.

"Wolfpaw, we are NOT kits." Said Stonekit in his unnaturally deep voice.

"Yeah. We are only two moons younger than you." Added Rosekit.

"Oops. My sincere apologies." Sometimes those kits amazed him, acting more grown up than his own siblings.

They sat by the fresh-kill pile, Wolfpaw dragging out a mouse and placing it in front of them to eat.

Rosekit sighed, her fur brushing Wolfpaw's. Wolfpaw looked at her.

"What is it?"

Rosekit looked back at him with her bright blue eyes.

"Don't laugh, ok?"

"Ok."

"It's just that…. You're so lucky you're an apprentice. I have to wait a whole two months." She quietly mewed, staring at the ground. Wolfpaw licked her soothingly.

"Two months will pass in a heartbeat. Don't worry. But when you _are_ made an apprentice, I bet you will be one of the best."

Rosekit purred.

"I hope so."


	2. Hunting

Sharkpaw raced through the trees, occasionally snagging his fur on brambles. He ran as fast as his oversized paws would carry him, zooming through the trees. Finally, he arrived at a hollow where 5 cats where waiting.

"Sorry I'm late," He panted, "Snakefang was in the middle of his story when Eaglestar saw that I was still in the camp, and sent me here."

His mentor, Leaflily cuffed him gently over his ear.

"No more excuses, alright?" Sharkpaw hung his head and mumbled an 'okay' before going to stand with his siblings.

"What are we doing today?" Sharkpaw whispered to his brother, Wolfpaw.

"We were supposed to be practicing battle moves with our mentors, but _someone_ decided to be late." He meowed.

"I said I was sorry." Sharkpaw mumbled.

Swiftpelt whipped around so that he was facing them.

"Alright apprentices. Let's get you to your mentors, and then I want each of you to find a way to pin down your mentors." He mewed with a smirk, knowing that it was way easier said than done.

"Sharkpaw, I think that really made up for your tardiness." Wolfpaw meowed on the way back from training.

Giggling, Petalpaw added, "I guess your humungous paws _are_ good for something; tripping mentors. Which is probably the only reason you fell on top of Leaflily, and do the impossible; be first place in something!"

Walking more confidently then on the way over to training, Sharkpaw replied, "Yes, well, I _am_ training to become leader, now aren't I?"

Wolfpaw sighed.

"You do know that there's no difference-" He stopped himself, knowing it was hopeless, and moved towards the nursery.

Before he could make it to the nursery, 2 small kits pounced on top of him.

"Wolfpaw! Guess what we overheard Eaglestar say!" Meowed Rosekit.

"What?"

"He said that it was time, and that we are going to be appointed apprentices today!"

Wolfpaw looked at Stonekit for confirmation. He could tell it was true because he was smiling and his eyes sparkled.

"Congratulation! I'm so proud!" He purred.

Purring, Rosekit brushed her fur against his.

"I told you," He whispered to her, "you're going to be the best of the best. And I'm going to be with you, every step of the way."

Well after moonhigh, Petalpaw made her way out of the camp, using the dirtplace exit, careful to avoid Whitepelt, who was on guard duty that night. She headed to the same clearing, same time, she had been going to for over a quarter- moon.

Petalpaw went around trees, and dodged boulders, keeping up the same, rapid pace. When she arrived, she sat upon a boulder and waited with her tail wrapped over her paws.

Suddenly, she heard rustling to her right. She didn't bother to look up; she knew exactly whom it was. Instead, she licked her paw and drew it over her head.

"Petalpaw?" Came a voice behind her. Petalpaw finally turned around to face her acquaintance.

"Rainpaw!" She purred, and brushed against his fur, "I missed you so much!" She stepped back. "But why weren't you here last moonhigh? I waited for you the whole night." She pouted.

"That's the thing." He licked her ears. "My name's Rainfur now and I couldn't meet you because I had to have my vigil last moonhigh."

If it was possible, Petalpaw purred even louder.

"I feel so happy for you! That totally makes up for it!" She purred. "But doesn't that mean we can't meet anymore to play?"

Rainfur looked into her eyes.

"Have we always been meeting to play? Or is it because of something else?" He asked her, completely serious.

Petalpaw looked down.

"Well... I also come because I miss you, and I don't get to play like we do with my littermates."

She looked back at him, mischief shinning in her eyes.

"Unless _you_ come here for something else?"

Rainfur gave his chest fur a couple of embarrassed licks.

"Well, you see….." He looked up, about to her exactly why he always comes, but she wasn't there.

"Petalpa- " Suddenly a weight fell on him. Rainfur struggled until he could see his ambusher.

"Constant Vigilance, we were taught so the first day out on training." Petalpaw meowed.

The first rays of the sun started shining through the trees. Birds came out of their hollows, chirping their songs.

"We'd better go," Mewed Petalpaw, "See you next moonhigh?"

Before Rainfur could answer, Petalpaw touched his nose with hers and sped through the forest, leaving only the faint, yet sweet smell of her behind.

"Let all cats that are old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a clan meeting." Eaglestar called out.

The cats who were sharing tongues looked up, curious about why Eaglestar would call a clan meeting. Cats stuck their heads out of the dens, looking either sleepy, or curious. Petalpaw, Sharkpaw, Wolfpaw, and their mentors returned from their training session, only to see Rosekit and Stonekit bouncing with joy.

"Come here Rosekit and Stonekit." Eaglestar beckoned to them with a swish of his tail.

"It has come to my attention that you two are now 6 moons old." He smiled down at them. "Therefore, now is the time for your apprentice ceremony, although I bet you have already heard." He meowed with a knowing look in his eyes.

Face red, Rosekit looked down at her paws.

"Rosekit, you have reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Rosepaw. Your mentor will be Rocktail." Rosekit looked at her mentor, her eyes shining. "I hope Rocktail will pass down all he knows on to you. Rocktail, you are ready to take on an apprentice. You had received excellent training from-" Here he paused, his eyes clouding. Every cat knew who he was speaking of, and they hung their heads. "Lilyfur." He finally choked out.

"And you have shown yourself to be loyal and hardworking. You will be the mentor of Rosepaw, and I expect you to pass on all you know to her."

Rocktail briskly nodded, and turned to touch noses with Rosepaw.

"Stonekit, you have also reached the age of six moons, and it is time for you to be apprenticed. From this day on, until you receive your warrior name, you will be known as Stonepaw. I will be your mentor." He bowed down to touch noses with Stonepaw.

Stonepaw stood tall and proud, glowing in the warmth of his clanmates' friendly yowls.

"Rosepaw! Stonepaw! Rosepaw! Stonepaw! Rosepaw! Stonepaw!"

The sun shone brightly, casting a golden hue on the pelts on Wolfpaw, Stonepaw, and Rosepaw as they made their way to the training hollow.

"Wolfpaw, where are Sharkpaw and Petalpaw?" Meowed Rosepaw, curious.

Wolfpaw smiled sadly.

"Petalpaw was caught while she was coming back from the "Dirtplace", but I smelt the forest on her pelt, and she was looking pretty tired." He sighed. "Eaglestar probably knew she was lying also, and made her stay behind and clean Snakefang, Deerspring, and Tumblepelt's furs. Might take another sunrise just to clean Tumblepelt's fur; I have heard that in all the days that Tumblepelt was able to, he would roll around at the top of the cliff, by the patch of feverfew Buzzardfur always grows." He smirked. "Must be why he never gets any sore paws by rolling around in those all day!"

Rosepaw cocked her head.

"How do you know that?"

Wolfpaw blushed. "Well… I find it interesting that plants could help cure us. I take it upon myself to know all of them and their uses."

"You are the smartest cat ever." She purred, touching his shoulder with her tail tip.

Stonepaw, who had been listening quietly to this whole exchange, thought to himself, _Rosepaw and Wolfpaw are getting incredibly close. _He thought with a smirk.

"Oh, and Sharkpaw, well he's still sleeping."

The three continued padding slowly to the training hollow, their mentors ahead of them, bragging about how well their apprentices were doing.

"Petalpaw has been improving greatly; she has terrific balance!" Bragged Tigerpelt.

"To bad she's bad at camp checking the elders for fleas! If she were here I would ask her to demonstrate her "awesomeness". Replied Leaflily.

The other mentors laughed, while an embarrassed Tigerpelt slowed his pace so that he could speak to Wolfpaw alone.

"Rosepaw's getting along nicely, I see."

Wolfpaw looked at his littermate's mentor.

"And I hear Rocktail's having another litter… wonder how she will do with kits…" He looked at Wolfpaw, winked, and quickly hurried to catch up with the other mentors, leaving a very embarrassed Wolfpaw behind.

Rosepaw padded up to him and rested her tail on his shoulder.

"Is everything ok?"

"Yup, everything's fine." He mewed, refusing to look at her. "Everything's normal." He said, half to himself.

_Do I like her that way? Would I want her to be my mate? And are we _that_ obvious?_

Wolfpaw shook his head. _I'm _way_ too young for that….plus; she probably doesn't like me that way._

Distracted, Wolfpaw didn't see the tree root, which was buried half inside the ground. He tripped, and looked up to find a bewildered Rosepaw, looking at him, startled.

"Umm, are you sure you're ok?" She asked him.

Behind her, Stonepaw stood, with a knowing look in his eyes.

Face redder than ever, Wolfpaw smiled what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and entered the training hollow.

He felt the fur prickle at the back of his neck, and knew that Rosepaw was watching him, very confused.

Sharkpaw awoke to the sound of cats meowing, the sun high in the sky. Yawning, he got up and stretched, ready for a day of training.

As he got out, he immediately saw Flowerwing heading towards him.

"Sharkpaw? What are you still doing here? Wolfpaw, Rosepaw, and Stonepaw left right after sunrise." She meowed.

Sharkpaw's eyes widened in shock.

"Then, I- I have to go!" He raced towards the camp exit, but before he could get there, Whitepelt, the clan deputy, stepped into his path.

"Not so fast. Since you're already so late, you might as well stay and help Flowerwing hunt some prey. The fresh-kill pile is already stocked, but it's better to be safe, then sorry."

"Ok, sure! Er, well, that is if Flowerwing would go with me…." Sharkpaw mewed.

Flowerwing flicked her tail, amused.

"Of course I'll go mousebrain!" She purred.

With that, she sped off towards the forest, leaving Sharkpaw to follow after her.

Sharkpaw crouched, his eyes on his prey. The squirrel was minding its own business, not aware that it was being hunted. Suddenly, a bush rustled in the distance, scaring away the squirrel.

Flowerwing came out of the bushes with a mouse and thrush in her mouth. Sharkpaw looked up, annoyed.

"Mousedung! The squirrel got away!" Sharkpaw stood up, frowning.

Flowerwing came up next to him, and put her prey on the forest floor.

"I'm sorry, Sharkpaw," She stroked her tail along his spine, "I didn't know you were still hunting." She purred.

Sharkpaw looked at her, smiling dreamily. Suddenly his wits returned to him and he frowned.

"Oh, it's alright I guess. But now I don't have anything to show to Eaglestar and Whitepelt."

Flowerwing looked at him, amused. "That's what you were worrying about?" She asked.

Sharkpaw looked at the ground for a moment, then slowly nodded, feeling slightly embarrassed.

"It's alright." She mewed gently, "I'll give you my thrush. Is that alright with you? Then you could show Eaglestar that you are _one fine warrior_." She said that like she really meant it, and Sharkpaw suddenly felt his face heat up.

"You don't have to do that." He said while looking at the ground.

Flowerwing smiled. "It's ok; I want to." She purred. Sharkpaw looked up, surprised at the warm in her voice.

Swiftly, Flowerwing licked his cheek, grabbed her mouse, and hurried off. Sharkpaw stood stiffly, eyes wide with surprise. Slowly, a blush crept onto his face, and he gave his chest a swift and embarrassed lick.

Flowerwing looked back.

"Coming?" She asked. Sharkpaw blinked.

"I'll race you!" She winked, turned, and then ran swiftly towards the camp.

Sharkpaw slowly grinned. He grabbed the thrush that was at his paws, and raced after Flowerwing, purring.


End file.
